Method for producing therapeutic rays



Apnl 14, 1931. E. w. BOERSTLER I 1,800'277 METHOD FOR PRODUCING THERAPEUTIC RYS Fild May 28,- 1925 '011111112 '1111r. 711111; '1111: VII/111111111114 Patented Apr. v14, 1931 UNITED sfTEs lPa.:'llzli'r; OFFICE.

nnwann w. Boansrmm, on warnn'rowiv, massacrrusnrrs, assmnon'jro nnwam) w. BoEBsrLEB, ALFBED BrcxNnnL, or mnnronn, mssacnnsn'rrs, AND rm' s. meALAsrEB, or' emma, massaenusmrs, 'raos'rnas HETHOIJ FOR PBQ DUCING' THEBALPEUTIC RAYS agpuzamn ma my 28, 1925. serial m3: 88,448.

The present invention relates to therapeutie apparatus, and'more particularly to therapeutie apparatus and methods emplo ing the curative properties of rays of -the mvisible a Spectrum.

The thera eutie and bactericidal characteristics of u tra Violet light have been known for some time, but their use in the eure of dlseases has been attended with considerable *o difieult ,particularly because of the presence of the s orter rays of the invisible Spectrum which are produced by -the usual existlng sources'of ultraviolet light. The usual apparatus for producing the actinic rays is a quartz mereury vapor lamp whlch is quite i rich, not only in the valuable curative rays but also in the more eaustic shorter emanations.

It is from these latter that the prineipal difficulties attending the use of ultra Violet light as a medical agency arise, because they exhibit a marked caustic and destructive effect on human tissue, often resulting in grave dermatitis under continued exposure to the rays. It has been found that emanations of less than 300 milli-microns in wave length uire extreme care in application to the bo y. Itwill be seen that treatment with the mercury are, Whose spectrum extends well into the extreme ultra Violet region, usually corresponding to wave lengths of about 210 milli-mierons, should be attempted only by skilled teehnicians and even then for only short periods of time. In some cases screens or iseleetive filters which vare opaque to the' shorter rays have been used in connection with the mereury are to permit safe operation under more continued exposure, but the fact rerains that such devices are not available for use by the layman and for this reason 40 "phototherapeutie treatment is apt to be inconvenient and is always expensive for' the patient. i

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and ap aratus by which the therapeutic rays .of the mvisible Spectrum may be' inexpensively and 'eonveniently obtainedand safely' applied to any part of the human body even'by those unsk1lled in medical teehnique.

I have discovered that a solid body of a material which becomes incandescent at. a high temperature, `such as tungsten', while emitting only rays of the visible Spectrum at normal Operating temperature, will at' increased temperatures emanate aetinie raysv extendingsuflieiently into thel ultra Violet region to possess marked curative properties,

'the wave length band including more of the shorter rays as the temperature increases. `A low voltage electric lamp having a tungstenf filament is well suited for this ur ose, vand for safe and effective use is pre era ly operated at about 10% in excess of normal voltage to give rays which extend from a lower limit of about 300 `milli-`xnicrons -in wave length. l The bulb of the lamp is preferably of a material which is transparent to suc longer wave lengths, but opaque to the shorter caustic rays. The rays are directed and con'- centrated upon an aifected area of the body by suitable refieeting, refracting and eondueting means.

n the aceompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of the improved therapeutic appa'ratus; and Fig. 2 is a side view of a modified form of applieator.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated'in the drawings eom rises an aluminum easing 4 provided with a removable cover 6. The easing has a circular boss8 to receive a lamp socket 10, which can be adjusted vertieally and there seeured by the set screw 11. A low voltage incandescent lamp 12 having a concentrated tungsten filament 14 is'mounted in the socket 10. The filament is energized from a suitable alternating or direct current source though vconductors 16 extending through a handle 18 secured to thebottom of the casing. The bulb 90 preferably has a filament designed normally to run on 6 to 8 volts, the ordinary automobile headlight bulb serving admirably for this use, and the electrical connections with the filament conveniently include a transformer for stepping down the voltage if an alternating current source is used, or a series resistance if a direct current source is used. The voltage appliedto the filament is preferably about 10% in excess of' normal voltage: for an 8-vo1t bulb the voltage applied to the filament would be approximately 9 volts.

Received in a boss 20 in the 'side of the casing and secured by a set screw 22 is an applicator 24:' which consists of material conductive to the rays emanated from the lamp and which is in direct contact with the wall of the bulb, as shown in Fig. 1. The applicator 24 is preferably of quartz which, as is well known, is not only remarkably transparent to the rays of the invisible as well as the visible spectrum, but also serves to conduct the rays and direct them'toward any desired oint. This part, however, may with good e ect be made of borosilicate glass, commonly known under the trade 'name of '*pyrex, which has been foundto be a good conductor of the emitted rays, or even an aqueous solution of alum or copper sulphate in a sealed tube may be employed for the applicator. The glass bulb 12 is preferably of the ordinary soda-lead or soda-lime construction which, as has been found, does not greatly diminish the volume or curative value of the .rays and is advantageous because of its ability to screen any of the deleterious rays of shorter wave length. A borosilicate lass bulb'may also safely be used.

In or er to provide for maximum effective use of the rays emitted from the filament, an aluminu'm reflector 26 is mounted in back of the bulb by means of a su'p orting rod 28 received in a column 30 secure to the bottom of the casing and adapted to permit adjustment of the reflector through the use of a thumbscrew 32. The reflector is adjusted so as to cause the rays from the filament to impinge directly upon the inner end of the applicator 24 which then conducts the rag to the desired point'of application.

Inl operation, after the socket 10 has been vertically adjustedtto bring the filament in line with the applicator 24, and the reflector 26 has been brought to the proper 'distance behind the bulb, the current is applied and the filamentl is heated by an approximately 10% `excess voltage. The applicator is dieither to an exposed area or through one o the orifices of the body, such as the month to x treat diseased tonsils, or the nasal passages to treat acute coryza. w

It has been found that contact of the sides of the applicator against a most part of the is .claimed is:

body, las in the case of tonsil treatment, causes a dispersion of the rays through the sides ofthe applicator, thus decreasing from their value at its end. lTo prevent such action, the applicator may be provided with a shield'indicated at 34,' which is of metal andA is received upon the boss 20 of the casing and secured thereto by a screw 36. The Shield is spaced slightlyaway from the applicator and at its end has a downturned lip 38 which engages with the-sides of the applicator to afl'ord a smooth surfacewhich can in no way cause injury to the patient. The use .of such a Shield does not` detract from the direct conduction of rays through a marked dispersingefl'ect,.and to this end a the applicator may be provided with aseres of indentations or flat facets which -cause a prismatic dispersion of the rays in the form ofa series of isolated pencils emerging from the several facets. This construction is illustrated in Fig. 2 showing a number of indentations or notches 40 in the end of the applicator. w

The applicator 42, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, is of curved shape and is preferably formed of quartz, which is known to possess the peculiar pro erty of conducting rays of light through su stantially any desired angle and permitting them to issue in a concentrated pencil at the end of the rod. An applicator of the form illustrated in Fig. 2 with or without the indentations 40 would be useful, for instance, in the application of ultra violet raysto different arts of the mouth which might not affor convenient access for the straight form of applicator shown in Fig. 1.

,The present invention when operated aecording to the method above described afords an excellent source of ultra violet light in sufficient volume to possess decided 'therepeutic properties without-the resence 'of rays of shorter wave length w ich would have a considerably cellular caustic action. The apparatus is mexpensive and may be used even by unskilled persons for extended periods of time and without dan er of de'-` struction of' the tissues of the bo y such as would occur from exposure to the rays of the mercury vapor are. Having thus described the invention, what 1. A method of producing therapeutic rays which consists in heating anv -incandescent tungsten filament lamp having a glass envelope to a temperature to emit a continuous Spectrum of visible and ultra-Violet light extending to Wave lengths of 300 milli-microns and below, and filtering the rays through the glass envelope to cut ofl shorter caustic rays ,of wave lengths substantially shorter than 300 mlli-microns.

2. A method of producing therapeutic rays which consists in heating an incandescent tungsn filament lamp having a soda-lime glass envelope to a temperature to emt a continuous Spectrum of visible and ultra-Violet light extendin to Wave lengths of 300 millimlcrons and elow, and filtering the rays through the soda, lime gla'ss envelope to cut o fl shortercastic rays of wave lengths sub- I stantially shortr than 300 milli-microns.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15, name to this specification.

EDWARD' W. BOERSTLER. 

